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Carolco Pictures
Carolco Pictures, Inc., Carolco International N.V., or Anabasis Investments was an independent production company, that within a decade went from producing such blockbuster successes as Terminator 2: Judgment Day and the Rambo series to being made bankrupt by bombs such as Cutthroat Island and Showgirls before being revived as a unit of C2 Pictures. History The company was founded by two film investors, Mario Kassar and Andrew Vajna, as Anabasis Investments. Their goal was to make their new studio a major independent production company producing A-movie product. Their earliest films were co-produced with Canadian theater magnate Garth Drabinsky. Jose Menendez was a member of the Board of Directors of Carolco in August 1989, when he and his wife were murdered by their sons Lyle and Erik Menendez. One of the first Anabasis/Carolco films was First Blood (1982), followed by the sequel Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) (released the year it was renamed Carolco) with Sylvester Stallone (who later signed a ten-picture deal with the studio). The release of Rambo: First Blood Part II was so instrumental to Carolco's financial success that from then on, the music of the company's logo utilizes the first stanza of its famous score, written by Jerry Goldsmith. Also in 1985, Carolco started a distribution deal with then-fledging production company TriStar Pictures. TriStar released a majority of Carolco's films from that point on (but not all) in the U.S. and some international countries until 1994. In 1990, Carolco went on to acquire the rights to the Terminator franchise from Hemdale Film Corporation. The company re-hired Terminator director James Cameron (who had also worked as a screenwriter on Rambo), and Arnold Schwarzenegger to star, in a multi-million-dollar budgeted sequel, Terminator 2: Judgment Day (released in 1991). It was the highest-grossing film of its year, and as it turned out, the most successful film in Carolco's history. After selling his partnership with Kassar, Vajna created a sister studio to Carolco, Cinergi Pictures, in 1992. Cinergi started to release films from The Walt Disney Company through Hollywood Pictures and Touchstone Pictures. In later years, Carolco acquired television syndicator Orbis Communications and initiated television production and distribution. They also purchased the former De Laurentiis Entertainment Group production facility in North Carolina (where the television series Matlock was partially filmed), and established a home video division (with LIVE Entertainment, later Artisan Entertainment and Lions Gate Home Entertainment, as output partner). Carolco struggled for some years to secure the rights to Spider-Man, a property that James Cameron was keen to produce as a film. Plans fell through, although it would eventually be made as a Sam Raimi film for Columbia Pictures. As budgets for their feature films grew, the box-office intake fell. Following the disastrous releases of Cutthroat Island and Showgirls in 1995, Carolco went bankrupt and the company closed soon after. Following a failed bid by 20th Century Fox to purchase the company, it was folded into StudioCanal, which used it as a shell company to produce adaptations of manga and anime from the Hitotsubashi Group and their Viz Media subsidiary. In 2003, StudioCanal picked up a 10-year first-run contract for new Toei Animation properties outside of Japan; Pretty Cure was one of the first under this new contract, with the Carolco name being used for all properties released in North America under the contract. Under the Carolco name, StudioCanal would also co-produce adaptations of the Digimon and Pretty Cure franchise with Walt Disney Pictures. On December 17, 2008, Viz Media announced that on April 1, 2009, their current rights to the Pokémon franchise would revert to Carolco. Interestingly, the company that distributes the majority of Carolco's pre-1996 library, Lionsgate, distributed the Pokémon movies in theatres in association with C2 Pictures, Carolco's parent company, and (for the ninth and tenth movie) Universal Pictures from the eighth movie to the tenth. Viz Media would still retain certain rights to the franchise, including international distribution rights for the anime outside of North America, and their logo still appears on the packaging of Carolco's releases to this day. After 15 years as a shell company for StudioCanal, Carolco was purchased by Brick Top Entertainment in January 2015; Kassar, who up until that point had been the puppet leader of the studio under StudioCanal, passed the baton to Alex Bafer but will still work with Carolco. Among the first properties to be developed under Bafer are an American remake of Takashi Miike's Audition, produced by Kassar, as well as redubbed versions of Pokémon: Adventures in the Orange Islands (in association with Disney Character Voices International, The Pokémon Company Inc., Viz Media, and STUDIOPOLIS) and Digimon Adventure 02 (in association with Disney Character Voices International, Saban Brands, and Orion Television) and the English dub of Go Princess Pretty Cure (in association with Orion Television and ABC Studios). Carolco's pre-1996 library today The assets of Carolco were later sold off to other companies, most already sold during Carolco's existence. Today, the ancillary rights to a majority of Carolco's pre-1996 library are held by French production company StudioCanal, while CBS Paramount Television (through CBS Television Distribution) holds the television rights (inherited from Spelling Entertainment's Worldvision Enterprises), except for ''Cliffhanger'', which Sony Pictures Television distributes. Lionsgate continues to hold the U.S./Canadian home video rights (via a new output deal with StudioCanal), while the international home video rights are held by a different company for each country. For example, the UK rights are with Momentum Pictures (a subsidiary of Alliance Atlantis) and the Australian rights rest with Universal Studios. Also, Lionsgate spun off its Canadian distribution arm as Maple Pictures in 2005, hence the Canadian video rights rest with Maple. The only Carolco films not included in the deal are ''Cliffhanger'', Aces: Iron Eagle III, Last of the Dogmen, Lupin III: The Mystery of Mamo, and Showgirls; the rights to these have been retained by their original theatrical distributors (TriStar Pictures, New Line Cinema, Savoy Pictures/HBO, Streamline Pictures, and United Artists, respectively). However, Lionsgate does own some ancillary rights to the original Stargate, and full rights to Wagons East. In 2005, Walt Disney Pictures picked up theatrical rights to Terminator 2: Judgment Day and simultaneously released the original theatrical version in IMAX and a new edited 3-D version sourced from the Extended Special Edition in Real D in 2007. They released the 3-D version on home video that summer under license from StudioCanal and Lionsgate, the latter which still releases the 2-D versions on home video. Filmography 1970s 1978 *''The Silent Partner'' 1980s 1980 *''The Changeling'' 1982 *''Queen Millenia: The Movie'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, United Artists, and Toei Company, Ltd.) *''Superstition'' (with Panaria and Almi Pictures) *''Arcadia of My Youth'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, United Artists, and Toei Company, Ltd.) *''First Blood'' (with Orion Pictures) 1983 *''Crusher Joe'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, United Artists, and PolyGram Pictures) 1984 *''Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, TrIStar Pictures, Kitty Films, and Toho Company, Ltd.) 1985 *''Rambo: First Blood Part II'' (with TriStar Pictures) *''Dagger of Kamui'' (with Walt Disney Pictures) *''GoShogun: The Time Stranger'' (with Walt Disney Pictures) 1987 *''Angel Heart'' (with TriStar Pictures) *''Extreme Prejudice'' (with TriStar Pictures) *''Fight! Iczer-1'' (with Universal Pictures) *''Nightflyers'' (with The Vista Organization) *John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness (Universal Pictures handled American and Canadian distribution, Carolco distributed the film in all other territories) 1988 *''Pound Puppies and the Legend of Big Paw'' (with TriStar Pictures and The Maltese Companies) *''Appleseed'' (with Cannon Films) *''Rambo III'' (with TriStar Pictures) *''Red Heat'' (with TriStar Pictures) *''Iron Eagle II'' (with TriStar Pictures) *''Watchers'' (with Universal Pictures) 1989 *''DeepStar Six'' (with TriStar Pictures) *''Gunbuster'' (with Universal Pictures) *''Dangaioh'' (with Universal Pictures) *''Pathfinder'' (subtitled version) (made in Norway) *''Food of the Gods II'' (with New Line Cinema) *''Lock Up'' (with TriStar Pictures and White Eagle) *''Johnny Handsome'' (with TriStar Pictures) *''Shocker'' (with Universal Pictures) *''Music Box'' (with TriStar Pictures) 1990s 1990 *''Mountains of the Moon'' (with TriStar Pictures) *''King of New York'' (with New Line Cinema and Seven Arts) *''Dangerous Passion'' (made for TV) *''Shattered Dreams'' (made for TV) *''Total Recall'' (with TriStar Pictures) *''Air America'' (with TriStar Pictures) *''Jacob's Ladder'' (with TriStar Pictures) *''Narrow Margin'' (with TriStar Pictures) *''Repossessed'' (with New Line Cinema) *''Babies'' (made for TV) *''Hamlet'' (with Warner Bros. Pictures, Icon Productions, and Nelson Entertainment, although Carolco was solely responsible for international distribution) 1991 *''L.A. Story'' (with TriStar Pictures) *''The Doors'' (with TriStar Pictures, Bill Graham Films, and Imagine Entertainment) *''The Dark Wind'' (with New Line Cinema, Le Studio Canal+, and Seven Arts, Columbia Pictures re-released the film in 1993) *''Rambling Rose'' (with New Line Cinema and Seven Arts) *''Get Back'' (with New Line Cinema and Seven Arts) *''Terminator 2: Judgment Day'' (with TriStar Pictures and Lightstorm Entertainment) *''Ranma ½: Big Battle of Nekonron'' (with Walt Disney Pictures and TriStar Pictures) 1992 *''Basic Instinct'' (with TriStar Pictures, Silver Pictures, Le Studio Canal+, and Nelson Entertainment) *''Aces: Iron Eagle III'' (with New Line Cinema and Seven Arts) *''Mario and the Mob'' (made for TV) (with Warner Bros. Television and American Broadcasting Company) *''Ranma ½: Battle of Togenkyo'' (with Walt Disney Pictures and TriStar Pictures) *''Universal Soldier'' (with TriStar Pictures) *''Chaplin'' (with TriStar Pictures) 1993 *''Cliffhanger'' (with TriStar Pictures and Le Studio Canal+) *''How the Gods Kill World Tour 1992 in Germany'' (with Warner Bros. Pictures and TriStar Pictures) 1994 *''Mona Must Die'' *''Ranma ½: Team Ranma vs. the Legendary Phoenix'' (with Walt Disney Pictures and New Line Cinema) *''Wagons East!'' (with TriStar Pictures) *''Stargate'' (with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Le Studio Canal+) 1995 *''Lupin III: The Mystery of Mamo'' (with Streamline Pictures, though Carolco only distributed the film during its limited theatrical release) *''Showgirls'' (with United Artists and Le Studio Canal+) *''Last of the Dogmen'' (with Savoy Pictures) *''Cutthroat Island'' (with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) 2000s 2000 *''Baby and Me'' (with TriStar Pictures and Franchise Pictures) 2001 *''Full Moon wo Sagashite'' (with Warner Bros. Pictures, SpyGlass Entertainment, and 1492 Pictures) 2003 *''Hikaru no Go'' (with Paramount Pictures and Lucasfilm Ltd.) 2004 *''Tokyo Boys and Girls'' (with United Artists) *''Mai the Psychic Girl'' (distributed by Viz Media, with Franchise Pictures) 2005 *''Gate Keepers'' (with Walt Disney Pictures and Lucasfilm Ltd.) *''Pretty Cure Max Heart The Movie (distributed by Miramax Films) *''Amazing Agent Luna'' (with Walt Disney Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures) *''Pretty Cure Max Heart 2: Friends of the Snow-Laden Sky (distributed by Miramax Films) 2006 *''Princess Tutu'' (with Walt Disney Pictures) *''Digimon Adventure'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar Animation Studios, and Jim Henson Pictures) *''Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne'' (with Warner Bros. Pictures) *''Pretty Cure Spalsh Star: Tic-Tac Crisis Hanging by a Thin Thread! (distributed by Miramax Films) *''You're Under Arrest!'' (with Walt Disney Pictures) 2007 *''Thousand Years of Snow'' (with Paramount Pictures and RKO Pictures) *''Absolute Boyfriend'' (distributed by Miramax Films) *''La Corda d'Oro'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, 1492 Pictures, and Gaumont) *''Vampire Knight'' (with Paramount Pictures and Cecchi Gori Group Tiger Cinematografica) *''Pokémon The First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back'' (with The Pokémon Company) (originally distributed by Screen Gems and 4Kids Entertainment from 1999-2007) *''Pokémon The Movie 2000: The Power of One'' (with The Pokémon Company) (originally distributed by Screen Gems and 4Kids Entertainment from 2000-2007) *''Pokémon 3 The Movie: Spell of the Unown'' (with The Pokémon Company) (originally distributed by Screen Gems and 4Kids Entertainment from 2001-2007) *''Pretty Cure'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, Malpaso Productions, and Interscope Communications) *''Yes! Pretty Cure 5: Great Miraculous Adventure in the Mirror Kingdom!'' (distributed by Miramax Films) *''Time Stranger Kyoko'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, Nu Image Films, and Millenium Films) *''The Mysterious Play'' (with Walt Disney Pictures and Paramount Vantage) 2008 *''Ouran High School Host Club'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, Red Wagon Entertainment, and Medusa Film) *''Ultra Maniac'' (with Walt Disney Pictures and Cecchi Gori Group Tiger Cinematografica) *''Hana-Kimi (or, For You in Full Blossom)'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, TriStar Pictures, and Amblin Entertainment) *''Yes! Pretty Cure 5 Go Go!: Happy Birthday in the Land of Sweets'' (distributed by Miramax Films) *''Pretty Cure Max Heart'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, Malpaso Productions, and Interscope Communications) 2009 *''MeruPuri'' (with Paramount Pictures and Cecchi Gori Group Tiger Cinematografica) *''Pokémon - Giratana and the Sky Warrior'' (with Universal Pictures, The Halcyon Company, and The Pokémon Company) *''Pretty Cure All Stars'' (distributed by Miramax Films) *''Skip-Beat!'' (with Walt Disney Pictures and The Halcyon Company) *''Digimon Adventure 02'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar Animation Studios, and Jim Henson Pictures) *''The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Heyday Films) *''Fresh Pretty Cure: The Many Secrets of the Toy Kingdom'' (distributed by Miramax Films) *''Pretty Cure Splash Star'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, Malpaso Productions, and Interscope Communications) 2010s 2010 *''Pokémon - Arceus and the Jewel of Life'' (with Universal Pictures, The Halcyon Company, and The Pokémon Company) *''Sugar Princess'' (with Walt Disney Pictures and The Halcyon Company) *''Pretty Cure All Stars 2'' (distributed by Miramax Films) *''Heaven's Will'' (with Walt Disney Pictures and Cannon Films) *''HeartCatch Pretty Cure: Fashion Show in the Flower Capital'' (distributed by Miramax Films) *''Fire Emblem Vol. 1'' (with Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films) *''SuperGals!'' (with Walt Disney Pictures and Summit Entertainment) *''Yes! Pretty Cure 5'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, Malpaso Productions, and The Halcyon Company) 2011 *''Pokémon - Zoroark, Master of Illusions'' (with Universal Pictures, The Halcyon Company and The Pokémon Company) *''Pretty Cure All Stars 3'' (distributed by Touchstone Pictures) *''Deadman Wonderland'' (with Walt Disney Pictures and The Weinstein Company) *''Fire Emblem Vol. 2'' (with Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films) *''My Guardian Characters: The Heart Saga'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, The Halcyon Company, The Kushner-Locke Company, and Cookie Jar Entertainment) *''Suite Pretty Cure: Melody of Miracles, Connect My Heart!'' (distributed by Touchstone Pictures) *''Pokémon Black'' (with CBS Films, The Halcyon Company and The Pokémon Company) *''Pokémon White'' (with CBS Films, The Halcyon Company and The Pokémon Company) *''Yes! Pretty Cure 5 Go Go!'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, Malpaso Productions, and The Halcyon Company) 2012 *''Shana Part I'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Legendary Pictures) *''Pretty Cure All Stars New Stage'' (distributed by Touchstone Pictures) *''My Guardian Characters: The Spade Saga'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, The Halcyon Company, The Kushner-Locke Company, and Cookie Jar Entertainment) *''Digimon Tamers'' (with Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios) *''Shana Part II'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Legendary Pictures) *''My Guardian Characters: The Club Saga'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, The Halcyon Company, The Kushner-Locke Company, and Cookie Jar Entertainment) *''Smile Pretty Cure: Picture Book Mismatch'' (distributed by Touchstone Pictures) *''Fresh Pretty Cure'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, Summit Entertainment, and The Halcyon Company) *''Chaotic'' (with Summit Entertainment) *''He-Man & She-Ra'' (with New Line Cinema and Virtual Studios) *''Forgotten Worlds'' (with Columbia Pictures, Capcom, and Helkon SK) *''Golden Sun: Isaac Forever'' (with Yash Raj Films and Focus Features) *''Big Sightron'' (with Warner Bros. Pictures, New Line Cinema, and Regency Enterprises) 2013 *''Shana Part III'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Legendary Pictures) *''Pretty Cure All Stars New Stage 2'' (distributed by Touchstone Pictures) *''Sunset'' (with Media Asia Films) *''Shana Part IV'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Legendary Pictures) *''Warstar'' (with Walt Disney Pictures and Marvel Studios) *''Doki Doki Pretty Cure: A Wedding Dress for the Future'' (distributed by Touchstone Pictures) *''Heartcatch Pretty Cure'' (wtih Walt Disney Pictures, Summit Entertainment, and Cannon Films) 2014 *''Shana Final'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Legendary Pictures) *''Pretty Cure All Stars New Stage 3'' (distributed by Touchstone Pictures) *''Happiness Charge Pretty Cure: The Ballerina of the Doll Kingdom'' (distributed by Touchstone Pictures) *''Suite Pretty Cure'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, Summit Entertainment, and Cannon Films) *''Digimon Frontier'' (with Walt Disney Pictures/Lucasfilm Ltd., Pixar Animation Studios, Saban Brands, and Industrial Light and Magic) 2015 *''Pretty Cure All Stars: Spring Carnival'' (distributed by Touchstone Pictures) *''Audition'' *''Smile Pretty Cure'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, Summit Entertainment, Saban Brands, Cannon Films, and Annapurna Pictures) 2016 *''Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back'' (redubbed version) (with Walt Disney Pictures, Viz Productions, and The Pokémon Company) *''Doki Doki Pretty Cure'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, The Weinstein Company, Saban Brands, Cannon Films, and Annapurna Pictures) 2017 *''Happiness Charge Pretty Cure'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, Saban Brands, Cannon Films, Orion Pictures, and Heyday Films) 2018 *''Digimon Savers'' (with Walt Disney Pictures/Lucasfilm Ltd., Pixar Animation Studios, Saban Brands, and Industrial Light and Magic) *''Go Princess Pretty Cure'' (with Walt Disney Pictures, Cannon Films, Orion Pictures, and Heyday Films) Television programs *''Pretty Cure'' (2004) (with WGBH Boston and Miramax Television) *''Pretty Cure Max Heart'' (2005) (with WGBH Boston and Miramax Television) *''Xenosaga: The Animation'' (2005) *''Pretty Cure Splash Star'' (2006) (with WGBH Boston and Miramax Television) *''Air Gear'' (2006) *''Powerpuff Girls Z'' (2006) (in association with Cartoon Network Studios and Warner Bros. Television) *''Yes! Pretty Cure 5'' (2007) (with WGBH Boston and Miramax Television) *''Lovely Complex'' (2007) *''Yes! Pretty Cure 5 Go Go!'' (2008) (with WGBH Boston and Miramax Television) *''RoboDz Kazagumo Hen'' (2008) (with Walt Disney Television Animation) *''Fresh Pretty Cure'' (2009) (with WGBH Boston and Miramax Television) *''Pokémon'' (since 2009) (home media distribution only, produced by The Pokémon Company) *''HeartCatch Pretty Cure'' (2010) (with WGBH Boston and ABC Studios) *''Suite Pretty Cure'' (2011) (with WGBH Boston and ABC Studios) *''Smile Pretty Cure'' (2012) (with WGBH Boston and ABC Studios) *''Doki Doki Pretty Cure'' (2013) (with WGBH Boston and ABC Studios) *''Happiness Charge Pretty Cure'' (2014) (with WGBH Boston, ABC Studios, and Orion Television) *''Digimon Adventure'' (redubbed version) (2014) (with Walt Disney Television, Saban Brands, Orion Television, and WNET New York) *''Pokémon'' (redubbed version) (2014) (with Disney-ABC Domestic Television, Viz Media, The Pokémon Company, and WNET New York) *''Go Princess Pretty Cure'' (2015) (with WGBH Boston, ABC Studios, and Orion Television) *''Pokémon: Adventures in the Orange Islands'' (redubbed version) (2015) (with Disney-ABC Domestic Television, Viz Media, The Pokémon Company, and WNET New York) *''Digimon Adventure 02'' (redubbed version) (2015) (with Walt Disney Television, Saban Brands, Orion Television, and WNET New York) External links * *Mario Kassar http://www.mariokassar.com *http://carolcofilms.com/index.htm *http://carolcofilms.com/sequels.htm *http://www.closinglogos.com/page/Carolco+Pictures Category:Companies established in 1978 Category:Companies established in 1999 Category:1995 disestablishments Category:Carolco films